Peer Chaplaincy Training – for youth, young adults and advisors

Youth, young adults and adult advisors are invited to a Peer Chaplaincy Training, sponsored by the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) and the Pacific Western Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

Registration is open from September 24 to November 5. There is a limit of 20 participants, so register soon!

As a religious community, we support and care for each other in many ways, including the gift of deep listening. Peer Chaplain training help youth, young adults, and adults working with youth to gain the skills they need to support each other in covenantal communities. Those who successfully complete the training will be qualified to serve as a Peer Chaplain at youth or young adult events.

This Peer Chaplain training will help participants develop valuable life skills, such as:

deep listening

affirming and emotionally supporting others,

helping manage a crisis,

ensuring a healthy, respectful, and safe environment, and

bringing spiritual resources and support to the various communities to which participants belong.

The training also covers serious issues in youth and young adult lives, issues of confidentiality, and ethical chaplain behaviour.

This is a full weekend training, and we encourage all participants to stay at the North Shore church on Friday and Saturday nights. Young adults can stay in a separate sleeping space at the church, and some home hospitality is available on request.

Fees and payment: Sliding scale fee $80 – $140 (participants choose how much they are able to pay based on financial means). We accept payment online through PayPal – direct debit and credit card – and by phone with a credit card.

Scholarships: The CUC provides partial scholarships to help youth and young adults attend leadership development opportunities. Online applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis (after other criteria have been considered). Visit the Supporting the Dawning Future Subsidy page to find out more and apply.

Eric Bliss is the Youth Ministry Specialist for the Pacific Western Region of the UUA. Eric is a career educator, teaching high school classes and facilitating in UU spaces. Eric has been active in UU leadership virtually his entire life, beginning as a youth group leader, eventually becoming a youth mentor, coordinator, director, and advisor at regional and national events. He has served as the Mountain Desert District (MDD) LREDA Chair and also as the Chaplain to Youth in MDD, and he is currently on the UUA Youth Ministry Roundtable.

Karoline Moore is a young adult living in Vancouver. She has extensive experience in youth leadership at the local, regional and continental level, and has spearheaded many youth events. Karoline has served as a chaplain and worship coordinator in youth communities and believes it’s important for youth to minister to each other. She is excited to join Eric in teaching valuable skills for UU community and the outside world.

Please fill out the registration form to register for this event. Call the CUC office to arrange for payment at 888-568-5723.

Our Mission

The Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) is an organization of Unitarian and Unitarian Universalist member congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists acting to enhance, nurture and promote the Unitarian and Unitarian Universalist religion in Canada.